Khawabi
Khawabi (Arabic: السودا‎), also spelled Qala'at al-Khawabi (Arabic: قلعة الخوابي‎) is a village and medieval citadel in northwestern Syria. Khawabi is situated in a hilly area, surrounded by olive groves. During the medieval period, its citadel (Qala'at Khawabi) served as a center of the Ismaili community when they were known as the Assassins. The citadel itself has been inhabited since at least the 12th-century. History Like many of the other castles in coastal Syria, the castle of Khawabi has its origins in the Phoenician era (1200 - 539 BC). In 1025 the citadel was restored by the Byzantines. A short time following the Nizari Ismaili's (then known as the "Hashashin") capture of Masyaf in 1141, they proceeded to conquer Qalaat Khawabi. By the time the Ismailis' chief Rashid al-Din Sinan renovated the citadel into a formidable possession in 1160, Khawabi had developed into an Ismaili center. Part of Sinan's renovations included the construction of a tower at the citadel's entrance and the replacement of some walls. Khawabi became geo-strategically important for the Ismailis since it provided further defense for other Ismaili mountain fortresses to its southwest. After the Ismailis assassinated Raymond, the eldest son of Bohemond IV, the Crusader ruler of the Antioch, inside a cathedral in Tartus, Bohemond and a reinforcement of Templars assaulted Khawabi in 1214. The Ismailis requested aid from the Ayyubid ruler of Aleppo, az-Zahir Ghazi, who in turn appealed to his rival and uncle al-Adil, the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt. Az-Zahir's relief army was dealt a major setback when the Muslim force was nearly destroyed in a Crusader ambush at Jabal Bahra, on the approaches of Khawabi. However, after al-Adil's son, al-Mu'azzam of Damascus, launched several raids against Bohemond's district of Tripoli, destroying all of its villages, Bohemond was compelled to withdraw from Khawabi and issue an apology to az-Zahir. The Ismailis maintained their control over Khawabi until the beginning of the Mamluk era in Syria. In 1273 the Mamluk sultan Baibars annexed and destroyed the citadel. From that point on, although the Ismailis had continued to live in the area with limited autonomy under Mamluk rule, the dismantled fortress was no longer used for military purposes. The remainder of the castle's infrastructure was adapted for agricultural or domestic purposes. Fortress Architecture Khawabi has a single entrance which is preceded by two flights of shallow stairways acquainted for cavalry. The first flight consists of 20 steps, leading to the second flight which has 40 steps into the still-preserved gatehouse at the northern end of the fortress. The gatehouse has a double entrance protected by archways and its upper floor's windows have been enlarged. The fortress consists of two principal sections, Harat Rashid al-Din Sinan (referred to as Bayt al-Agha by locals) and Harat al-Saki. The former occupies the upper area of the citadel and many of its historic characteristics, with the exception of its cellars and stables. Harat al-Saki retains much of its historical character, with its ruined residences, medieval walls and cellars. Although a number of residents of the citadel have built new homes by dismantling some parts of the walls, most of Harat al-Saki's residents have built relocated outside of the citadel walls. The eastern part of Qala'at Khawabi contains the fortress's main defenses, although its northern end is also strongly buttressed. The latter part of the fortress possesses chambers meant for water storage. In the center of the fortress stands the citadel which is protected by double-walls. A narrow north-south path, from which two alleyways to the eastern and western sections branch out, runs through the middle of the fortress. Category:Syrian Castles Category:Central Castles